Congo signed a peace agreement with the rebel M23

Congo signed a peace agreement with the rebel M23

The Congolese government signed a peace agreement with rebels who laid down their arms M23 last month , said presidential spokesman Kenya on his official Twitter account on Thursday .

" The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ) and the M23 signed a peace agreement in Nairobi , " said Manoah Esipisu in the account , according to Reuters .

Government spokesman Lambert Mende said the DRC , three documents signed at State House in Nairobi and its provisions include the dissolution of the M23 as an armed group .

Other provisions contain details regarding demobilization and cessation of violence as a way to reach future goals , he said .

" The document is very clear : there is no amnesty in disguise . They are considered a criminal act in connection with international law , war crimes or crimes against humanity will not be put back into the community , " said Mende .

M23 rebels declared a ceasefire on 3 November in the war against the DRC army after they suffered beatings .

DRC troops to block the rebel group of the entire area under their control during the 20 -month uprising in the province of North Kivu .

M23 was founded by former Tutsi rebels integrated into the Congolese army in accordance with the peace treaty of 2009.

With complained that the agreement was never fully implemented , they did uprising in April 2012 and fought with their former colleagues .

The UN and rights groups have accused M23 crimes such as rape and murder during the conflict , which has made tens of thousands of people displaced .

MONUSCO , the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ) , is one of the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world which has more than 17,750 troops and military observers and 1,400 police . Pakistan is a major contributor to the troops .

The UN Security Council agreed in March to form a brigade of additional intervention which includes more than 2,500 soldiers in eastern DRC to confront armed groups such as the M23 .

Special Brigade , the first troops mandated offensive , composed of troops from South Africa , Malawi and Tanzania